


cross my heart

by lesmiserablol



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Childhood Friends, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Love Confessions, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:34:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27665480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesmiserablol/pseuds/lesmiserablol
Summary: “Sokka,” Zuko says quietly, and Sokka turns away from the screen (where a young Harrison Ford is riding a runaway mine cart) to look at him. “Will you still be my friend even if I have a big, weird scar after this?”Sokka’s face is again very serious. “Zuko, no scar or anything else in the world will ever stop me from being your friend. I promise.”(5 times Zuko and Sokka make promises to each other, +1 time Sokka almost breaks his)
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 158
Kudos: 1006





	cross my heart

**1**

The first promise that Sokka and Zuko make to each other is when they are nine years old. 

The two boys had never interacted. Sokka started attending the school only a year ago, his family having moved there following the death of his mother, and he quickly made friends. Quicker than Zuko, who had been going there since his family moved out of Japan years ago and didn’t have many friends to show for it. His eyes followed Sokka, feeling drawn to his easy smiles and his hard work in the classroom. Sokka had skipped a grade at one point, so Zuko knew he was smart and could probably explain division easier than the teacher. Still, they never talked.

Until they were both forced to spend recess sitting against the side of the brick school building, watching as their classmates run around the grass, soar on the swing set, and play with their jump ropes while the two of them are forced to watch.

Zuko stares at the ground in front of him, feeling embarrassed. He hadn’t meant to be rude toward the teacher, but he is on edge more often than not these days. His temper is just like his father's, he thinks, his stomach churning. He never wants to be like his father. 

He glances at Sokka, sitting just a few feet away from him and staring at the clouds as if they hold the secrets to the universe, his hands tapping out a rhythm on his thighs. Zuko thinks of how he sees Sokka running around with the other kids at recess most days, playing tag or moving the jump ropes or even creating a new game.

He thinks of the scowl on Sokka’s face as he stood up to defend Zuko, telling the teacher that he wasn’t being fair. The teacher had simply scoffed and determined that both boys deserved the same punishment, depriving them of their precious recess time and condemning them to stick out like a sore thumb as the only motionless beings in the swirl of movement on the playground, displaying their bad behavior for the world to see. He thinks of what his father would do in his shoes. Maybe throw a fit, probably yell at Sokka for being stupid, even sneak away from the wall while the teacher on duty had her back turned. He never wants to be like his father. 

So he opens his mouth and says two words he has never heard from his father: “I’m sorry,” he mumbles, and it comes out quieter than he means it to, so he clears his throat and tries again. “I’m sorry.”

Sokka turns his head to meet his eyes, looking curious. “For what?”

“I got us into this mess,” Zuko sighs, looking to the ground again, but he looks up when he hears Sokka laugh.

“I think Mr. Pakku is dumb,” Sokka tells him, and Zuko’s eyes widen at such a blatant comment. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“But it is. If I hadn’t gotten angry at him, you wouldn’t have had to step in,” Zuko points out.

“It’s no biggie,” the other boy shrugs. “I wanted to.”

Zuko feels a swell of gratitude in his heart and looks away. “I’ll never do it again. I promise.”

“And I promise that even if you do, I’ll always stand up for you.”

Zuko looks up, shocked. “Why?”

Sokka grins widely. “That’s what friends do.”

“We’re friends?” Zuko asks, feeling his face get warm.

“Of course!” Sokka insists. “You don’t get stuck at the wall with someone and just not become friends with them,” he explains as if it is the most obvious thing in the world. 

Zuko gives him a hesitant smile. Friends. He likes the idea of being friends with Sokka. 

It’s as simple as that, even though the two boys are so different and live very different lives. Zuko drags his feet as he walks home, knowing that he will get in trouble for ruining his shoes but dreading his father’s reaction when he gives him the note informing him of his behavior that day. Sokka hands his father the note, and it's not the first time he explains that it is because he stood up for someone. His father smiles proudly.

Despite these differences and many more, Zuko and Sokka are inseparable after that. Sokka teaches Zuko some new games. He makes Zuko the captain of the opposing team in capture the flag. They save each other seats at lunch. Zuko controls his temper more because he has a good reason to, he has a boy with a sly smile who he doesn’t want to get in trouble, and even when he does slip up, Sokka is there by his side without hesitation. 

* * *

**2**

Zuko is thirteen years old when he misses a week of school and Sokka comes to Uncle Iroh’s house to make him a promise. 

Zuko hardly leaves the guest room that has now become his room and he only sees his uncle when he comes in with food or to change his bandages, but on Friday there is a knock on his door. He wonders if it's Azula again, she doesn't know what to say but sometimes she leaves her own new room and comes into his to paint her nails silently while he sleeps or lies on his bed and stares at the ceiling. That is what he is doing now, so he just turns on his side to stare at the door as Iroh says, “Zuko, your friend is here to see you.”

Zuko’s stomach drops. There is only one person that it could be, and for once, Zuko doesn’t want to see him. 

Before he can say anything, he hears Sokka’s voice through the door. “Zuko! I brought sour gummy worms and Red Vines and Clue and my DVD of Empire Strikes Back!”

He stares at the shut door for several moments, thinking about pretending to be asleep. But he knows Sokka will probably just get roped into playing Pai Sho with his uncle until he "wakes up". He can't avoid Sokka forever, so he gets up and walks to the door, opening it slowly. Sokka slips in, dropping his backpack in the corner. It’s dark, but he doesn’t mention it, just squints and turns on the small TV on the dresser to start the movie. It lights up Zuko’s room, it lights up Sokka's bright smile, and he knows it lights up his face. There is no use turning away, Sokka is going to see the bandages on the left side of his face eventually. So he looks at Sokka with his one uncovered eye and Sokka looks back and he’s still smiling, except now he’s holding out a bag of candy.

For as long as he can remember, Sokka has been adamant about his love for Twizzlers, going off on rants detailing their superiority over Red Vines. The candy looks out of place in his hands as he offers it to Zuko. "You hate Red Vines," Zuko says finally, his voice rough from disuse.

"But you don't." Sokka shrugs, as if that answers everything, waiting patiently for Zuko to accept the package and tear it open.

He realizes that his uncle must’ve explained some of what happened, because Sokka doesn’t ask questions. He plays the board game with Zuko and occasionally quotes the lines of the movie as the characters say them. And when Zuko sometimes stops talking for a few minutes, or when he stares at the screen with his eye out of focus, Sokka doesn’t say anything. 

Zuko watches the last scene between Darth Vader and Luke, and he feels a surge of anger toward Darth Vader for being such a bad father. He feels his eye tear up when Darth Vader hurts his own son by chopping off his hand, and he isn’t sure if he is imagining it or if his scar really does hurt while watching it happen. 

Sokka throws an arm around his friend’s shoulders to pull him close to his side, holding him tightly even as the credits end and the menu screen starts playing on a loop. He doesn't say anything about Zuko getting his shirt wet with his tears.

“Zuko, listen to me carefully,” Sokka finally says, not letting him go. “I know in the next movie, Luke still believes there is good in his father and he forgives him and helps him see what he did wrong. But your dad, he is worse than Darth Vader. There is no good in him and you do not have to forgive him and it is _not_ your job to try and change him. Do you understand me?”

Zuko pulls away just enough to look at Sokka. Sokka is staring at the screen with his jaw clenched tight and a fiery anger in his eyes that Zuko has never seen before. After a few moments he looks back at Zuko and his expression immediately softens, but he still looks determined and very, very serious. 

Zuko doesn’t have it in him to say anything, so he nods, and Sokka looks satisfied with that.

Sokka stays the night. He pulls out the Indiana Jones trilogy from his backpack, and eventually Iroh knocks on the door with a box of pizza. While they make their way through the movies they stay up late talking about anything and everything except for bad fathers and math quizzes, and they lay out blankets on the floor for them to sleep on. 

“Sokka,” Zuko says quietly, and Sokka turns away from the screen (where a young Harrison Ford is riding a runaway mine cart) to look at him. “Will you still be my friend even if I have a big, weird scar after this?”

Sokka’s face is again very serious. “Zuko, no scar or anything else in the world will ever stop me from being your friend. I promise.”

* * *

**3**

Zuko leans against the building, taking some deep breaths, enjoying the fresh air after being inside for so long. He is having a good time, really, it's just that senior prom is _so much_. If he closes his eyes, he sees flashes from the night: Suki and Sokka with their arms around each other and beaming as they dance to song after song, Katara laughing as Aang shows her his goofiest dance moves, Azula's hair falling out of her bun as she talks with her friends when she's not dancing. He felt out of place, standing there with Toph when he wishes he could be on the dance floor with someone else. It’s not that he doesn’t love Toph, because he does, but...

Thankfully, she understands. She told Zuko that if she dared to try and go to prom with a girl, her parents would be furious. Zuko knows what it's like. He’s been living with Iroh for a few years now, but he’ll never forget the fear that seized his heart whenever he so much as looked at another guy when out in public with his father, worried he would see right through him. So Toph and Zuko agreed to go to the dance together just to be with their friends, and Toph had promised not to tell anyone his secret. They spent most of the night leaning against the wall, commenting on the choice of music, Zuko describing to her anything eventful happening on the dance floor until he had excused himself.

“There you are!” 

Zuko jumps just slightly and opens his eyes to turn and see Sokka walking toward him, his hair loose and his forehead shining with sweat. 

“I was wondering where you disappeared off to,” Sokka beams, walking to lean against the building next to Zuko. 

“It was a little too crowded in there,” Zuko says. “It feels nice out here.”

“You’re telling me,” Sokka says, fanning himself with his hand. “I’m exhausted.”

Zuko’s lips twitch in a smile. “Are you having fun, then?”

“Oh, tons, this is exactly what I pictured senior prom to be like. It's just like the movies,” Sokka answers. “And you?"

Zuko shrugs, looking away from him to face ahead and resume his stargazing. "It's prom. It's alright."

"I was surprised you didn’t ask your sister’s friend to go with you, Mai is her name? Toph is great and all, but…”

“She’s gay,” Zuko finishes quietly. 

“Yeah. Not that there is a problem with that! You know I don’t have a problem with that. I just thought she’d ask that girl from her physics class.”

“Her parents wouldn’t allow it. I took her as a friend, since I know what that’s like,” Zuko tells him.

Sokka nods. “Yeah, I can’t see your dad letting you go to anything fun, especially prom.” Sokka spits at the ground like he does whenever they bring up his father, and it makes Zuko smile again before his face falls. 

“No, I'm not talking about having fun, it’s…” he trails off, and he turns to look at Sokka again, who is admiring the moon. “I’m gay, Sokka.”

Sokka’s head snaps in his direction. “You are?”

Zuko nods, suddenly finding it hard to look at Sokka or speak to him. Why is he so impulsive? This is prom night, he couldn’t have waited for a better time? Sokka is the second person that Zuko has ever told about this, and he wonders if he’ll ever be able to say it without his heart beating wildly and every muscle feeling tight, defensive. Suddenly the outside air does not feel as refreshing as it had a moment ago. Its suffocating.

Sokka takes a step forward. “Dude, that’s great, seriously. Thank you for telling me, I know it probably isn’t easy.”

Zuko takes a shaky breath, meeting his eyes finally and trying to force a smile. “Yeah, not really." His voice cracks and he takes a few moments to calm down. It's okay, he did it, he admitted the truth to the person who means the most to him in the world, and he doesn't hate Zuko for it. "I’ll tell everyone else when I’m ready, but until then, can you...not mention it?”

“Of course, man! I’m honored that you told me.”

“And Toph knows, by the way.”

“What?” Sokka’s eyebrows shoot up. “You told Toph before me? After how many years of friendship?” he’s smiling, so Zuko knows he isn’t really upset, and he gives Sokka a shove. 

“You’ll get over it. I promise I won’t keep any more secrets from you,” Zuko smirks. 

“I’ll hold you to that,” Sokka winks. "You've been good on your promises the past nine years, I'm trusting you here."

Zuko takes a few more minutes to calm his racing heart and to get his breathing even before he pushes himself off the wall. “Let’s go back inside?”

Sokka grins, holding out his hand. “May I have the next dance?”

Zuko rolls his eyes again but feels himself relax as he takes Sokka’s hand and gets pulled inside and to the dance floor.

They dance a few songs together, and now Zuko understands what Sokka meant by it being like the movies. He smiles and laughs and steps on Sokka’s feet but it’s fun, and he is breathless by the time he pauses to get a drink. He sees Suki dancing with Toph, and it makes him smile even more. 

At the end of the night, Sokka gives him a hug goodbye, and holds on a little longer than usual.

“Hey,” he says in Zuko’s good ear. “Thanks again for telling me. You are my closest friend. I will always love you for who you are, I promise.”

Zuko makes him the same promise two months later, when Sokka comes out to him as bisexual.

* * *

**4**

Okay, maybe he had promised to not keep any more secrets from Sokka, but there is one secret that feels like a reasonable enough exception. 

Zuko doesn’t know how he got himself into this mess. All he knows is that their final year of college is ending in a few months, Aang is moving in with Katara over the summer, and the days of being roommates with both Aang and Sokka are coming to an end. 

“We could live in these apartment buildings near the grad school, or there are some further into the city that would be nice. Good public transport, a huge park a few blocks away, there is even a list of things to do for fun,” Sokka says, breaking the quiet of the afternoon. “I got all these pamphlets here, maybe when you get the chance…”

Zuko stares at his takeout leftovers, his appetite suddenly gone. “I don’t know...if I want to live together next year.”

Sokka looks up from one of the pamphlets to give Zuko a look of disbelief. “What are you talking about? Who else are you going to live with, if not your best friend?”

Zuko shrugs. “I’m...I’m not sure yet. I can find someone, though.”

“Why do you need to _find someone_?” Sokka asks incredulously. “We’ve been roommates for four years now, are you telling me you're tired of me? Is it the thing about the dishes? I’ll start being better at doing them, I promise.” He looks a little hurt, and Zuko has a hard time looking at him, so he pushes his noodles around with his fork.

“No, it’s not that, it’s just...we’ve been roommates for four years, but always with Aang. There is a difference.”

“I don’t understand,” Sokka tells him. “He’s hardly in the apartment anyway, why can’t you just be my roommate?”

Zuko sighs. There is no way to tell him this without either hurting Sokka with a lie or telling him the truth, which could be even worse. Sokka watches him as he struggles with this internal conflict, and he grabs Zuko’s hand that is resting on the table. “Zuko? What aren’t you telling me?”

Zuko slowly pulls his hand away, a strong test of his willpower. “I...recently realized something. About us. And I don’t want to make things awkward, so I think it might be easier if we just...stop being roommates before that can happen.”

Zuko knows he is being incredibly vague, but instead of looking confused, Sokka’s expression flattens out quickly. 

“Oh,” he says, his voice hollow. “Okay. Yeah. Sure.”

“I’m sorry, Sokka, it’s not your fault, it’s nothing personal,” Zuko sighs. 

Sokka nods and can’t make eye contact with him. “Yeah, no, I get it. I’m just surprised, I guess. I didn’t think you knew.” 

Zuko shrugs, trying to not feel so embarrassed. Was he so obvious that Sokka figured it out before him? Sure, it took a lot of late movie nights, and quiet Saturday mornings, and days spent together at the gym before he finally admitted it to himself. But he always thought Sokka was none the wiser. “I think I’ve always known, I just kept ignoring it.”

“Right.” Sokka winces. “Well, I won’t say rejection doesn’t suck, but thanks for being so cool about it. We’re still friends, right?”

“Of course we…” Zuko frowns. “Wait. What do you mean, rejection?”

Sokka gives him a look. “I mean the part where you’re trying to gently turn me down by moving out.”

“Turn you down? I...I don’t think we’re talking about the same thing,” Zuko says slowly. 

“So we aren’t talking about the massive crush I have had on you for ages?” Sokka asks, his voice shaking, and Zuko’s eyes widen. 

“Your what?”

Sokka takes a moment to register and then his eyes widen too. “But you...you said you realized something. Something about us. You saw right through me, didn’t you? I didn’t think I was being too obvious, but Katara did tell me-”

“I meant I figured out that _I_ have a massive crush on _you_!” Zuko says, his heart racing. 

“You have a what?” Sokka asks, looking stricken. 

They stare at each other for a few moments before they both start laughing, Sokka recovering quickly to lean forward in his chair. 

“So, just to clarify, we both definitely have more than platonic feelings about one another?” he asks seriously.

“Yes,” Zuko nods quickly, not one hundred percent sure that he is not dreaming. 

“Then can I-?”

“Yes,” Zuko interrupts, meeting Sokka’s lips halfway. It's awkward with the table still between them, but Zuko just puts one hand down to balance himself, the other coming to cup Sokka's face, who grins against his lips at the contact.

Zuko pulls back after a few moments and studies Sokka's face closely, his hand still on his cheek. “Are you sure you want this?”

“Of course I do. Do you still want to find a new roommate?”

“Nah,” Zuko grins. “You’ll have a hard time getting rid of me now.”

“Promise?”

Zuko laughs. “Yeah. I promise.”

* * *

**5**

“We promised not to get each other presents for our anniversary! We’re saving to go visit your family in Alaska!” Zuko groans.

“I know, but I couldn’t resist! We've been dating for five years now, I couldn't just _not_ get you anything.” Sokka grins widely. “Plus, this one is more of a present from you to me, depending on what you say.”

Zuko frowns. “What?”

“You’ll see,” Sokka answers quickly. “Now stay there and close your eyes.” 

Before doing so, Zuko shoots him a glare, but there is no real heat behind it and Sokka laughs as he leaves their living room. A few moments later, Sokka quietly takes his seat on the couch next to him and kisses him on the cheek before placing something in Zuko’s hands.

“Okay, now open,” Sokka says.

Zuko does, and he smirks at the heart covered wrapping paper that Sokka has insisted to use for everything ever since Zuko called it cheesy. The gift is rectangular and slightly heavy, and when he pulls away the wrapping he is holding a large photo album with a thick cover. 

He lets out a low whistle. “Very fancy.”

“Now open it!” Sokka says. Zuko glances over at him and sees Sokka is beaming with just a hint of anxiety in his expression, and he curiously opens to the first page and immediately gasps.

It’s their class picture from when they were nine years old. Sokka was standing behind Zuko, smiling widely, his teeth still crooked. Zuko himself had a closed lip smile. Under the picture, there is space for a label, where Sokka has written, “Our first promise - that you would try and keep out of trouble, but when it came up I would always stand up for you.” 

He turns the page. A picture from them on their last day of school that year, the caption saying “you promised to not forget about me during the summer”. There are more elementary school pictures and more promises, things like “I promised I would always share with you” and “you promised to teach me how to do double dutch”. Zuko feels a lump in his throat when he sees the one from when he was eleven and his mother had just left, the caption saying, “I promised I would never leave your side.”

The Zuko and Sokka in the pictures get older as he continues to turn the pages. He watches them both go through their braces phase as well as a few pictures of what Sokka lovingly calls Zuko's emo phase. Zuko touches each page reverently, careful not to ruin any of them, moving the album out of the way when necessary so that he doesn’t get his tears on it. There are pictures from every Halloween together, pictures from summers spent at pools and zoos, at movie theaters and theme parks.

He laughs at a picture of him glaring at the camera from the year that Sokka got him a dozen packs of Twizzlers for his birthday gift ("you promised to always be my friend even though I teased you"), and the next picture is from Sokka's following birthday surrounded by all the packs of Red Vines that Zuko had wrapped individually for him, Sokka himself looking thoroughly unimpressed ("I promised to still be your friend despite your horrible taste"). He sees some photos he didn’t even know they had: a selfie from freshman orientation, the tiny dorm they shared that year, pictures from movie nights where they had fallen asleep leaning against each other that their friends must have taken. Each one has a promise that one of them made, and each one Zuko remembers like it was just yesterday.

Then there are pictures of them from when they started dating. Kisses on cheeks, Sokka taking selfies in bed while Zuko sleeps with his mouth wide open, the two of them kissing at graduation, posing together as strangers took pictures of them in random places. There is an obvious contrast between the pictures of them at pride parades from before their relationship and during it. Before, they would stand side by side, Sokka's arm across Zuko's shoulders. But once they became boyfriends, the pictures show them smiling wider than ever. There is one of Sokka giving Zuko a piggy back ride, beaming as Zuko kisses his cheek. Another one is of Zuko sitting on Mai's shoulders and Sokka sitting on Ty Lee's shoulders, both couples kissing at the same time. Zuko's chest swells with emotion and Sokka wipes away a few tears himself as he watches Zuko look through everything.

He finally gets to the last picture, one he definitely has never seen before of Sokka in their favorite park in the city. Sokka is posing on one knee in the picture, the sidewalk around him decorated with several chalk hearts of all sizes and colors. In the photo, Sokka is beaming and holding a sign that says “Zuko, will you marry me?”

He lets out a gasp and looks up to see Sokka has slid off the couch and is in the same pose as the picture, smile included, but now he is holding a ring. 

“Zuko,” he starts, and when Zuko notices that his hands are shaking slightly, he puts the album down on his lap and reaches out to cup Sokka’s cheeks in a comforting gesture. “We have spent the past seventeen years making promises to each other. You have been true to yours, and I have kept all of mine because I love you so, so much and I never want you to question otherwise. There are more empty pages in that album, and I intend to fill them with more promises with you, starting right now. If you’ll have me, I promise to spend every day loving you. If you’ll be my husband, I promise to always be there for you through thick and through thin. Zuko, if you’ll marry me, I promise to never stop being your best friend, your loving partner, your number one fan. So, Zuko, will you marry me?”

They’re both crying, and Zuko nods quickly, his voice cracking as he says, “Yes, of course I will!” 

Before Sokka can do anything else, Zuko sets the album on the couch cushion and leaps into his arms, hugging him tightly. Sokka loses his balance and he falls backward, bringing Zuko down with him, the pair laughing and smiling and feeling so, so happy. Zuko holds himself up on his elbows, smiling down at Sokka, and he leans forward to give him a kiss.

When they finally get up and Sokka has put the ring on his finger, Zuko takes a deep breath and squeezes his hands. “Okay, since you cheated and got me a present, I won’t feel guilty for giving you one, too.”

“You already gave me the best present I could ask for by agreeing to marry me,” Sokka says.

Zuko raises an eyebrow. 

“Okay, fine, if you insist, I’ll take whatever else you got me," Sokka grins.

“It’s not super original,” Zuko admits as he stands, going to get the ring from his bedside table drawer. “But I have a feeling you will like it.”

* * *

**+1**

“Are you _sure_ you don’t want me to write it down for you?” Zuko asks his husband for the second time, an eyebrow raised.

“I got it! Don’t worry. Soba noodles, rice vinegar, toothpaste, cat treats. Easy peasy,” Sokka beams, grabbing his keys and shrugging on a jacket. “I’ll grab some Twizzlers for movie night, too.”

Zuko rolls his eyes. He will never admit it, but he has grown to love Twizzlers thanks to Sokka. It may have something to do with the large amount of Twizzler-flavored kisses over the years. “Alright. I’ll be expecting your phone call soon.”

“Do you have that little faith in me?” Sokka gasps dramatically.

“Not in you, just in your track record,” Zuko tells him. "Four years of marriage will do that."

Sokka laughs and takes a step toward him, watching Zuko pull out ingredients from the fridge until Zuko notices and gives him a questioning look.

“Hey,” Sokka says, kissing Zuko on the cheek. “I love you, you know.”

“I love you too, you giant dork," Zuko responds, heart fluttering in his chest even as he pushes Sokka toward the door. "Now scram, I'm hungry!"

Sokka laughs. “I’ll be right back! I promise!”

Twenty minutes later, Zuko smiles when he hears his phone vibrating on the counter. He can just imagine Sokka staring at the store shelves, waiting for Zuko to pick up so he can ask, “Was it white vinegar that you wanted? Also, do you have a preference for the brand of noodles I get? What else did we need? I know I said I didn’t need to write it down but I should have written it down-”

Zuko puts down the salt he just added to the sautéing vegetables and grabs the phone, not even bothering to look at the caller ID as he answers. “Yes?” he asks, smiling widely.

“Zuko, where are you?” 

He blinks. It’s Katara. The tone of her voice sends a chill through his body, and with shaking hands he is already reaching for his keys.

“Katara? Are you o-”

“Zuko, it’s Sokka. You need to come to the emergency room, now.”

Zuko barely has the mindset to turn the stove off before he’s stumbling out the door, keys in hand, his knuckles white where he is still clutching his phone as Katara talks to him.

* * *

Katara had told him that he was okay, that he was going to pull through, but that hadn't calmed Zuko's nerves as he made his way to the hospital or as he paced the waiting room while his husband was in emergency surgery. Katara already finished her shift in the pediatric ward and she stayed with him, explaining that the car accident could've been worse, that Sokka got lucky, that they got him to the hospital just in time. Zuko isn't sure if she is trying to comfort him or herself, but he's just glad neither of them are alone. 

She calls Aang and cries over the phone to him as she explains the situation, and Zuko finds himself reaching for his phone to call Sokka, but he stops himself with a heavy sigh. He stares at his recent calls, considering calling Toph to have someone to talk to, but he doesn't want to talk. At least, not to anyone but Sokka.

He presses call and waits. The phone rings a few times, and then it goes to the voicemail. _“You’ve reached Sokka, that’s with an -okka, if this is important please leave a message, and if this is my loving husband, just know that I in fact do love you more, Zuko.”_

Zuko hangs up, and for the first time that evening he feels exhausted, the anxious energy replaced with a heavy weight that makes him stumble to the chair next to Katara and put his head in his hands. She puts a hand on his back, and he leans into the touch.

It's only been hours since she first called him, but it feels like a lifetime, his chest still tight when the nurse finally comes to tell them the surgery was successful and they can see him.

Katara grabs his hand and leads him to the recovery room where Sokka is asleep, and Zuko feels like he can breathe for the first time when he sees Sokka's own chest rise and fall, the steady beeping of his heart rate sounding like music to his ears. 

He and Katara wordlessly sit down across from each other in the hard plastic chairs on either side of his bed, Katara tucking some of her brother's hair behind his ear while Zuko grabs Sokka's hand and squeezes it gently. He feels a lump in his throat as he looks his husband over, noticing the bruises and cuts on his face from the car accident, but he manages to exchange a small smile with a relieved Katara.

They eventually move him out of recovery and into a room where the armchairs are thankfully more comfortable and the coffee machine is just across the hall. Zuko takes a sip but doesn't taste anything, letting the rest of the drink cool to room temperature on the bedside table. 

By the time Sokka's eyes open, the sun is rising and the room is filling with a soft glow from the light behind the curtains. Katara is slumped forward with her head resting on the bed next to Sokka's side, half asleep. Zuko himself is staring at his and Sokka's joined hands, eyes out of focus, but he feels wide awake when he notices the twitching of Sokka's fingers against his hand. His eyes snap up to Sokka's face to find his eyelids blinking open slowly. 

"Sokka," he breathes, gripping his hand slightly tighter as he stands, his other hand coming to cup Sokka's cheek gently, careful of his swollen jaw. 

"Oh, hey babe," Sokka says quietly, giving Zuko a crooked smile.

"Sokka," Zuko says again, his thumb stroking Sokka's cheekbone. "I was so scared."

"Come on, I promised you I'd be right back, didn't I? I always keep my promises," Sokka mumbles, wincing. "Ow."

Katara lifts her head, stirring at the noise, and she blinks before gasping as Sokka looks over to her and smiles.

"Sokka!" she says, grabbing his other hand. "If you didn't have several broken ribs and a nearly collapsed lung I would give you the biggest hug ever right now. How are you feeling?"

Sokka winces again, his words slurring together. "Not so good. How's my car? I got Red Vines."

Zuko wants to laugh and cry all at once, but he settles with taking a shaky breath and moving his hand from Sokka's face to brush his hair back. "Don't worry about that right now. You should get some more sleep. We'll be right here when you wake up."

"Promise?" Sokka mutters, eyes already closing.

"Yeah, Sokka," Zuko smiles. "I promise."

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! i'm [here](https://bisexuallsokka.tumblr.com/) on tumblr
> 
> this fic originally had a sadder ending, if you want to read it [here's the link to the post](https://bisexuallsokka.tumblr.com/post/635459445645770752/i-said-sad-ending-intially-but-if-it-means-we-get)


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